Pipe wrench



April -7, 1925. 1,532,803

L. D. FOWLER PIPE WRENCH Filed June 6, 1924' X 9 INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

NITED STATES lenses PATENT cleric.

LEWIS D. FOWL R, QKL HOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.

PIPE WRENCH.

Application filed June 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs D. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma City, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe renches, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is to provide a pipe wrench which will be simple, strong, durable, easily attached and detached, not liable to get out of order, easily and cheaply constructed and manufactured, easily and cheaply repaired, operative in almost any position with one or both hands contacting the article gripped at three equidistant points of contact by several serrated teeth on the article at each point of contact.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be set forth in the ensuing de scription. Y

Figure 1 of the accompanying one-sheet drawing is a side view'of the device showing the same closed, and showing the throw of the opening of the jaws of the device;

Fig. 2 is a partial back view of't'he device showing the manner of pivoting the two jawsof the device; and

Fig. 3 is a partial side View showing the application of the method of clinching the pipe.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

The wrench shown in this instance includes a handle member 1 preferably square in form having two bifurcated round topped lugs 2, 17, extended at its upper end, each lug transversely perforated 3, 4, a laterally extending aw 5, near the upper end of said handle member 1 toothed on its upper surface 6 at substantially right angles to the longitudinal body of said handle member to a point near the outer portion of said jaw and toothed 7 convexly to a point at the lower outer corner of said jaw; it also includes a second jaw member 8 preferably square in form having a transversely perforated tongue member 12 at its lower portion to fit between the two bifurcated rounded lugs 2, 17, said second jaw member 8 securely fastened to said handle member 1 by a pivot member 11, said upper jaw 8, when fully opened. (See upper dotted portion Figure 1,) extends upwardly from said lower jaw on the said handle member 1,

1924. Serial No. 718,231.

its outer edge being on a line with the outer edge of said handle member 1, its inner edge surface toothed 9 the upper portion thereof extending at rightangles to its lower portion and to the handle member 1, and form ing a beak and is toothed 10 on its lower surface of said outwardly extending por= tion.

The upper jaw 8 is so constructed that when closed the lower toothed convexed por tion 10 fits down over the outer toothed couvexed portion 7 of the lower jaw 5, and the toothed inner surface 9 of said upper jaw member 8 fits down over thevupper toothed surface 6 of the laterally extendingjaw 5. In theoperating and using of the wrench the two jaws may be opened by hand or by clinching the toothed portion 10 over the pipe 13 and pulling on the handle until the pipe is enclosed by the teeth 6, 7, 9 and 10 the closing-of the wrench by a pressure of the handle toward the beak of the outer portion of the upper jaw securely fastens the pipe within said toothed portions 6, 7, 9 and 10 and in contact with the pipe at 14, 15 and 16, a swinging movement or twisting of the handle further toward the point of the beak of said upper jaw makes the pressure that much greater on the pipe and screws up or unscrews the pipe on the oint sought to be tightened, or loosened. In order to unscrew or loosen the nut or pipe, it is only necessary to place the pipe wrench oppositely'on said pipe or nut to what has already been described and repeat the process as above described. It will be observed in the drawing that the bite of the teeth 6, 7, 9 and 10 is the same and acts 011 the pipe or nut at 14, 15 and 16,'the points of contact to press in the same direction.

Workmen are very often required to use Wrenches in cramped and other close positions where it is practically impossible to use both hands. This Wren-ch can be used by one or both hands. The use of springs, coil springs and the like to tend to constantly close or constantly open thewrench, make it practically impossible to use wrenches having such appliances with one hand.

It will be observed that the serrated portions 6, 9 and 10, of upper and lower jaws are practically on a straight line and by the opening of the jaws and closing them on a pipe 18 there is an equidistant three point contact of said portions 6, 9 and 10 with 14, 15 and 16 thereby applying the pressure to said round pipe at three different points and distributing it so as to prevent the mar- :ing, scarring and bursting of the pipe and yet the more easily cause it to turn with the rotating movement of the wrench handle.

It will also be observed that the serrated portions of said aws being so nearly on a comparatively straight line pcrn'iits the contacting of the gripped article by several serrat-ed teeth at each point of contact instead of simply one as in other wrenches and tightens the grip more completely and prevents probability of mar-ring, scarring or bursting the pipe.

From the description and accompanying one page drawing,- and the specifications, zhe advantages of construction, operation manufacture will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains; but it will be understood that any modification within the scope of the claimed invention, may be made without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

By pivoting the jaw 8 on a pivot disposed beyond the acting face 6 of the jaw 5 I am enabled to bring the faces 6 and 9 close together and parallel to each other to grasp small objects when desired, and to insure the purchase on a large article held by the three equidistant points of contact, as seen in F 3.

7 Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. A wrench comprising a handle member having near one end a laterally-extended jaw disposed at substantially right angles to the length of said handle member and having a convex terminal, said jaw being serrated along its outer edge and terminal, and a jaw member pivoted on the end. of the handle member and having a serrated face opposed to the serrated face of said first-named jaw and terminal and an angular face serrated for opposed cooperation with said serrated terminal whereby an article may be gripped at three equidistant points of contact of said first-named jaw and the angularly disposed faces of the other jaw. V V

2. A wrench comprising a handle member having near one end a laterally-extended jaw disposed at substantially right angles to the length of said handle member and having a convex terminal, said jaw being serrated along its outer edge and having a serrated face opposed to the serrated face of the first-named jaw and terminal and an angled face serrated for opposed cooperation with said serrated terminal whereby an article may be gripped at three equidistant points of contact of said first-named jaw and the angularly-disposed faces of the other jaw, said second-named jaw being pivotally mounted on the end of the handle member at a point beyond the acting face of the first-named jaw, the serrated faces of the second-named jaw being disposed at substantially right angles to each other with one face substantially parallel with the face of the firstaiamed jaw and the other substantially parallel with the co'acting portion of the terminal thereof.

LEWIS D. FOWLER. 

